A true 3-D simulation of an injection molding process or of a metal casting process involves a complex system of many equations. Progress has been made in the past to improve the efficiency of the simulation methods to cope with these complex calculations. With optimized software and the processing power of modern workstations or PCs such simulations can be performed in a workplace, i.e. the results are obtained fast enough to be suitable outside the purely scientific research area and can be applied by engineers in research and development departments, foundries and manufacturers of injection molded articles.
Advanced versions of software for simulation of these processes are able to calculate residual stress, warpage and deformations of the part, also after ejection of the part. However, in various types of processes the forces that are applied to the part during ejection are substantial and lead to additional deformation and stress on the part. Known process simulation software has not been able to take the effects of such forces on the part into account. Design and development engineers have therefore not been able to make accurate predictions of the characteristics of the product developed without actual test runs on the work floor.